Gun show report: Houston HGCA...

[Truckman]

I've attended many Houston Gun Collectors Association shows over the past several decades, mostly just walking the aisles and I've never had what I would consider a "bad" show...After being invited by an old friend to join as a member, I did so and signed up for a table at yesterday's show in The Heights...I brought 37 of my Smiths for display...

At other shows where I display, I'm accustomed to hearing comments (always complimentary), questions (always politely answered and discussed), plus the usual "I got one just like that at home, what'll you gimme for it" guys leaving their greasy fingerprints on my glass cases...But I also usually get some who will see some value in what I have and make an arrangement with me to buy or trade, and others who will bring something in that's priced within my buying range...

But when I put in that much effort and achieve zero trades, zero sales and zero buys, I'm compelled to classify the show as a zero...So when the HGCA representative came by to ask if I'd like to reserve the same tables at the next show, I had to give him a negative answer...And in all fairness none of the other tableholders talked of having a good show either...

I took some cell phone pics of what I brought for your comments...With all respect for the lodge hall venue, the lighting is much better suited to its banquet/party room purposes, and my antique I-Phone did its best with my poor photographic skills......Ben

 

[huthike]

What a nice display - sorry I didn't take the time to trek up there. Last few HGCA shows I've been to had ZERO Smiths of any note, so I kind of gave up going. Bad timing on my part, apparently.

 

[Bald1]

I think all shows are a victim of themselves. I hear vendors complain of a lack of sales when their prices are way to high. I hear customers complain of no deals when what they really want is to steal something. Combine that with all the plastic fantastic stuff and tacticool gear, it's just not what it used to be.

 

[Xfuzz]

That show and club bit the dust when they ran us
out of the Astrohall.
Used to be a 2000 table show.
Over 1200 members at one time with a waiting list.
Now less than 5-400 members I guess.

 

[hivel37]

Buyer or seller we all look for deals
IMO currently there just too many shows
im this area (central TX).
Sometimes chicken sometimes feathers.

 

[ralph7]

I think all shows are a victim of themselves.
I hear vendors complain of a lack of sales when their prices are way to high. I hear customers complain of no deals when what they really want is to steal something. Combine that with all the plastic fantastic stuff and tacticool gear, it's just not what it used to be.

This!
Also the lack of any upfront pricing is a red flag that in my many years of attending gun shows says the price will be at the upper end of the spectrum when asked.
Maybe if one wants to fill a hole in a collection, the OP's table would be an option. I, on the other hand just want to get a decent deal on something I might not have.
Yesterday's dismal results seem to indicate a lot of folks are in my school of thought.

 

[Truckman]

What a nice display - sorry I didn't take the time to trek up there. Last few HGCA shows I've been to had ZERO Smiths of any note, so I kind of gave up going. Bad timing on my part, apparently.

Muchos appreciados...The tables at that show are only six feet long and about six inches narrower than tables at other venues...HGCA also has a two-day show in Humble once or twice a year with full size eight foot tables...I'm still contemplating whether it will be worth the effort to get tables there; if I do I'll bring all 100+ guns and get three tables...I used to set up with three tables at the Conroe show, but the last three shows there I couldn't even clear expenses so I gave up those three tables...I later covered a friend's two tables for him when he had surgery and couldn't be there...I did OK on those tables, but after his recovery, he gained a three table endcap where I now help him out and get to display 3 or 4 of mine...

I think all shows are a victim of themselves. I hear vendors complain of a lack of sales when their prices are way to high. I hear customers complain of no deals when what they really want is to steal something. Combine that with all the plastic fantastic stuff and tacticool gear, it's just not what it used to be.

I agree on all points...In addition there are so many promoters competing against each other for the same venues, the result has been way too many shows with the same boring usual vendors with the usual merchandise at the usual prices...

As to price, I never display mine with a price tag for several reasons...Number one is I am a collector only since I gave up my FFL's several years ago, and I do not want to be identified as being in business...If a looker wants to talk about what I would take for any of mine, all that's necessary is to ask and we can discuss value...If I started out with what everyone wishes my guns would sell for, I'd likely wind up with just a bag of money, and few or no guns...That's not why I'm there...I want to improve my collection as well as yours...

I can't do that by selling off everything for mere dollars, and I'm also not going to buy everything that comes in at what some folks think they'll get...The biggest part of the fun for me is in making the deal, and the only way to do that is by talking about it...Some people are reluctant to ask, but it's the only way to get the ball rolling with me...

I also know and understand the federal and state laws and rules governing firearms transfers...I'm accustomed to turning away those who think they can circumvent the rules with fistfuls of cash, and it's always amusing to disappoint the ATF Enforcement plants who try the game with me...I also get some of the current and former ATF Compliance and Enforcement guys who remember me from earlier days and just want to shoot the breeze...Here are some pics from my previous displays in earlier times...Again just cell phone pics, so quality is poor.........Ben

 

[Truckman]

That show and club bit the dust when they ran us
out of the Astrohall.
Used to be a 2000 table show.
Over 1200 members at one time with a waiting list.
Now less than 5-400 members I guess.

Those were great shows, Howie...I miss them too......Ben

 

[LVSteve]

Wish we had "too many gun shows" as a problem here.

Nothing wrong with any of the OP's pictures. They show the overall feel of the displays, and very nice they are too.

 

[Truckman]

Wish we had "too many gun shows" as a problem here.

Be careful what you wish for...Recently we had four promoters all renting the Pasadena Convention Center for their gun shows...Very nearly the same vendors were trying to make a career of being there every weekend...Now we're down to three of them all waiting for the others to die on the vine...Meanwhile fewer and fewer lookers are willing to pay their ten bucks 3 weekends out of each month just to see the same things again and again...We had this same problem in the Houston area for years until agreements were made between promoters not to step on each other's toes...Now it's happening all over again...

In my area of Conroe one promoter has the county convention center locked in, and shows there are productive for most...But the city is building their own convention center on the other side of town, so it's expected that one of the other promoters will jump into that venue and dilute the pool for everyone here...Greed conquers all......Ben

 

[H Richard]

I have given some thought to the "zero" problem. I tend to think the younger set (under 40) don't have the interest in "collecting". They may like to buy guns, usually semi's made of plastic, but only to shoot, not to collect.

As I age past 80 and see something I really like, I ask myself. Why should I buy that, I'll just have to sell it in less than a year as I sell off my collection so my wife doesn't have to worry about it. All my children and grandchildren have gifts of guns from Dad/Grandpa, and have little or no interest in having another.

I've owned then, shot them, collected them, but now just look at them, as ownership is no longer a priority.

I think there are many in this same situation, and that is affecting the gun shows. There are more dying off, than becoming interested.

 

[ordnanceguy]

Truckman:

What a handsome display you had there. I'm sorry to hear that the show was such a dud for you .

May I suggest a different venue where your display will be fully appreciated, you'll have a bunch of buying opportunities for great Smiths, and I can guarantee you will have a great time to boot? Try the upcoming S&WCA Symposium. This year it is in June in Glendale, Arizona. If you have not yet been to a Symposium you are really missing something!

Regards,
Charlie

 

[CH4]

Truckman, that's some beautiful heat!
The January collector's show in Vegas was also a huge disappointment. I figured since last year's show was booming, this year's would be as good or better. Saturday had a lot of empty tables and poor attendance. I did manage to snag a nice 3rd issue DS and my buddy grabbed a nice 61 Winchester. The Big Reno Show has also become a joke, unfortunately.

 

[Truckman]

May I suggest a different venue where your display will be fully appreciated, you'll have a bunch of buying opportunities for great Smiths, and I can guarantee you will have a great time to boot? Try the upcoming S&WCA Symposium.

Thanks, Charlie (and others who responded)...My travels are limited, but I'll keep it in mind...About the only areas I would consider displaying would be in my own state of Texas where transfer of ownership is much less restricted......Ben